Earthly Concoctions

Pairing beer with cake: Chocolate Stout Cake

2011-12-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

I want to try baking this chocolate cake with the Sam Adams - Chocolate Bock beer .. and then serve it with glasses of the same brew :)
And maybe add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream into the beer glasses .. A perfect harmony of favorite foods - Cake, Ice-cream and Beer!

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/10/chocolate-stout-cake-with-whipped-vanilla-bean-frosting/

Christmas Rich fruit cake

2011-12-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

The cake: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/christmas-cake-2/
Icing: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4883/classic-winter-fruitcake

The Day we had our Rock n Roll wedding.

2011-11-30T07:54:00.001-08:00

We got married in the Fall of 2011 in New York City. The fresh sunshine overshadowed the mild chill in the air and the entire day is etched like a canvas filled with gorgeous colors in our minds.
Every moment of every minute of that day is like a love song in our memories .. and we cannot stop smiling when we watch the images from our wedding!

Our wedding ceremony was a divine experience at the Church of The Blessed Sacrament in the Upper West Side. The walk down the aisle, the gleaming congrgation filled with our families and loved ones, the sacred altar and all those moving moments left most of very emotional.

The party began right after we said "I Do" :)

The party stretched from Central Park in Manhattan into waterfront loaction at The Surf Club in the uptown suburbs of NYC. We never stopped laughing, dancing and rejoicing at what we thought was the best day of our lives!
Watch us and our Rock n Roll wedding video

World's most romantic islands!

2011-06-05T22:03:00.001-07:00

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-most-romantic-islands/1

Cruising along the most beautiful roads in USA!

2011-06-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Americas's most scenic roads :)

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-most-scenic-roads

I have been here in Maine .. in fact those are some of the rock/sea-cliffs on which our team did some challenging night rock-climbing :)

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-most-scenic-roads/21

Californication :)

2011-06-04T09:02:00.001-07:00

These are a few resorts in the Golden State that I absolutely adore for having weaved in so much harmony with nature and of course the art of being luxurious without going overboard!
http://www.postranchinn.com/reservations/

Island Escape

2011-05-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have been nurturing a secret amazement for housing that dangles from trees or is lodged over water! The latter appeals to me more as I find the beach and ocean expanses so very romantic. So anything in a lagoon, or a shallow reef or further out in the deep waters of a tropical ocean is definitely a vacation of choice for me!

Listed here area a few examples of extremely luxurious over-water resorts. They say 2/3rds of all such resorts in the world are in the Maldives! So even though I'd love to vacation in the Carribbean, Turk and Caicos islands or Hawaii - I may consider a trip further east to experience romantic isolation in one of it's most unadultered forms :)

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/05/11/five.overwater.bungalow.resorts/index.html

http://www.kiwicollection.com/blog/inspirational-photos-island-escapes/9309

Hiking in the USA

2011-05-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

With over 2 billion acres of contiguous land mass, there is a lot of ground to cover in mainland USA for any avid travelers worth their salt!

The link here highlights some of the most favorite hiking destinations in the USA. Go conquer a few trails, camp under the open skies and unite with nature!
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/05/14/favorite.hiking.camping.spots/index.html

Food (and some beer!) in Flushing, Queens, NY

2011-03-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

Mingle Beer House
37-04 Prince St.
Queens, NY 11354
718.939.3808

It's not just beer that's served here but also tasty food in a karaoke environment - Perfect!
I hear they have at least 6 varieties of beer on tap including a pricey Chimay($11). The Taiwanese appetizers and stir-fried foods add a spicy twirl to an evening of beer drinking and mingling :)

Review of other popular food joints NY Timeout

I am also reading this other blog by a foodie on a 'shoe-string' budget .. quite an apt source of inspiration for me !

40 days of meatlessness..

2011-03-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

The transition from hearty, beefy foods to seemingly lackluster vegetarian chow can be challenging and almost cruel to our hungry palates :)
But let's not fret this season of Lent - because when you venture into the NYC outdoors, a satisfying vegetarian meal is anything but a challenge to find. And NO, I am not saying that we enter into those mainly meat-based restaurants and sit down for a meal made up of slimy salad juices and silly-looking sides!

There are many fantastic places that will serve a generous vegetarian meal that consists of almost all the flavors that one's gastric senses would crave for. And yeah while they are not abundant, fortunately I have been able to discover a bunch of what's not only the best but also the super affordable ones :)

(In the Village):
Counter
Sacred Chow
Café Himalaya
Red Bamboo
Gobo
Hummus Place

(Uptown):
Candle 79
Josie's
Peacefood Café
Maoz

(New places still to be tried):
Quartino (Roman Trattoria - Noho)
Taim (Middle Eastern - West Village)

Mundo Café (Turkish - Astoria)

And as I'd like to think, a touch of velvety fish here and a spattering of meaty broth there won't hurt our abstinence routine much :)

Mitsuwa ..

2011-02-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

The largest Japanese marketplace in the US - that's what Mitsuwa is in a nutshell! This place is a wonderland for lovers of Japanese food, groceries, household stuff, electric appliances, and the culture.

And I am part Japanese at heart :) So I have always been in awe of Mitsuwa, and that it's east coast location is less than a few miles from where I live, makes things all the more exciting!

Situated along the Hudson river in Edgewater, New Jersey, this Mitsuwa center is more of a mini-mall than a traditional supermarket. From Japanese tea/mochi selling kiosks to book/video stores to restaurants/sushi bars, this gigantic location will meet many demands.
And of course, the supermarket section sells everything from packaged snacks to grade-certified Angus beef.

So here's presenting to you .. Mitsuwa
Oh, and here's the English version of the site

Enjoy... Tanoshimo :)

Unique n essential NYC stores

2011-01-26T09:13:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I walked into Fishs Eddy, an NY institution that has been around since 25 years into the business of (in their own words) 'doing dishes'! These guys have dedicated their cheerful vintage-like stores to selling one-of-a-kind kitchen and lifestyle items that are also quite affordable.

My visit to the Flatiron store felt like walking into a charming small-town shop - filled with gorgeous articles for sale! Needless to say, I walked out with a few unique gifts :)

More such essential NYC shopping institutions that I plan to visit

And also some other favorites from Yelp

Happy NYC shopping!

A placeholder and the closing of my favorite Indian restarant in New york City

2011-01-25T08:50:00.001-08:00

Why is this a placeholder post?

I just got back from my short vacation to India. And both, my mind and heart are brimming with tales to write. Alas my overpowering schedule and dreaminess has got the better of me. I have also started maintaining a small (really cute) diary of places and food zones I'd like to visit. So I think it's just a matter of time before I start transmitting juicy bits of information from my black diary to my blog!
This placeholder post serves as a self-reminder :)

Now for more on my most favorite Indian restaurant in New york - Tabla.
It was where I had the most delightfully inventive yet completely authentic Indian flavors-bathed meal of my life. This was the summer of 2010 and I must thank my friend profusely for taking us there on his birthday, else I don't think I would have ever entered through the doors of Tabla on 24th St and Madison Ave in Manhattan.

The setting was classy and upscale and yet there was nothing even remotely pretentious about the attitudes or the food that was floating in there. The dishes served were groundbreaking from the first appearance of the food through the flavors exploded by the last bits. Quality of ingredients, retention of natural colors and the build-up of flavors - everything about Tabla had won me over.

Chef Floyd Cordoz, the man behind the food at Tabla says a few words in this article on the closing of Tabla on 31 December 2010.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2010/12/floyd_cardoz_di.php

I am glad he recommends some upcoming Indian food places to try.. I know I will without any regrets!
Junoon Restaurant 27 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10010-3290

Hot chocolate on a cold wintry night !

2010-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dash hot chili powder
Tiny pinch of salt
1/2 cup cold milk.

Combine the chocolate chips and milk in a saucepan on high, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, and hot chili powder. Stir in the cold milk. Strain into 2 mugs. Thin with additional milk, if desired.

Sources:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/drews-world-famous-triple-rush-hot-chocolate/Detail.aspx

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/01/belgian-hot-chocolate/

Just a (pretty darn good) burger!

2010-11-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

Cooked to order, flame-flavored, moist and juicy .. that's what we'd call a pretty darn good hamburger! There's hardly any doubt in the veracity of this statement.

Here is a list of destinations that will strive to satiate the burger-lovers tastebuds with hand-crafted cheeseburger perfection.

The Burger Joint, New York, NY
Le Parker Meridien @118 W 57th St (between 6th & 7th Ave)
Tucked away behind red velvet curtains in the imposing atrium lobby of Le Parker Meridian Hotel is a shack-like burger place that serves burger perfection! The grub is a standard-sized hamburger, with perfectly melted cheese and "the works"(everything on it)

Oh, and don't forget to pair your cheeseburger with shoestring fries (thrown into a paper bag) and a pitcher of Sam Adams (the only beer sold here). They serve root beer/soda too.

Good to know before you go: Cash-only, limited seating, the booth seating is worth waiting around for. Also this place sort of invites graffiti on their walls, and we very creatively scrawled our initials too :)

The Dram Shop, Brooklyn, NY
339 9th St (between 5th Ave & 6th Ave)
This bar-like setup serves a fast-food style burger. The recipe has been a closely guarded family secret since it was conceived in Dallas more than 60 years ago. But there's definitely yellow mustard and sliced pickles somewhere in between the buns and the square patties, that adds a great tang to the whole experience.

Petey’s Burger, Astoria, NY
30-17 30th Ave., nr. 31st St. 718-267-6300
It’s kind of In-N-Out inspired. So go expecting to find a burger you'd find at a California drive-in:
The quintessential meat patty sandwich overstuffed with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced onions and melted American cheese. A special (Thousand Island-like) sauce drips all over and all of this comes wrapped in waxed paper to add to the old-school experience. This is definitely fast-food that can rival the West Coast braggarts :)

(Tip: Try the double cheese with sauce and extra-crispy fries - $9 )

R.U.B. BBQ , New york, NY
208 W 23rd St (between 7th Ave & 8th Ave)
The thin, salty, juicy patty, made from equal parts of brisket and short rib meat, is served in a buttery bun with sweet pickles and American cheese. The result is a steak-like mouthful with an added kick from the chipotle aioli.

This place is also known to serve the Jucy Lucy, a cheese-stuffed burger that is a specialty of Minneapolis.
Good to know before you go: These phenomenal burger meals are only served on Mondays 6pm-9pm, in limited quantities .. makes it more special

Blue 9 Burger , New york, NY
92 3rd Ave (between 12th St & 2nd Ave)
An NYU haunt, this is another burger destination that is almost an In-N-Out taste-alike.

More recommendations coming up soon.
In the meantime, we are also going to perfect the skill of cooking and serving burgers in their most elemental form - just beef and bun - gradually we aspire to inject more creativity, such as that of a Jucy Lucy into one of our favorite foods of all time! :)

Coffee, Bagels, Doughnuts .. an American Breakfast in NYC

2010-10-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

While in search of a great cuppa coffee, some fresh bagels and sweet breakfast treats, there's one place that won't leave you the least bit disappointed - New York City!

Pop's Coffee Shop
4429A Kissena Blvd
Flushing, NY 11355
Neighborhoods: Flushing, NY
A great-tasting coffee shop that's really a diner - a true, surviving American icon in the neighborhood

Letys Bakery
7707 37th Ave
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Neighborhood: Jackson Heights, NY
A local bakery that offers universal confectionery treats paired with a great cup of coffee

Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Shop
35-05 Broadway
Astoria, NY 11106
Neighborhood: Astoria, NY
Perfectly crafted, super-sized bagels with a wide selection of cream cheese to go along --- there's no stale, cardboard taste here but only the real New York Bagel experience.

Baruir's
4007 Queens Blvd
Sunnyside, NY 11104
Neighborhood: Sunnyside, NY
Solid yet inexpensive coffee. Additionally, the ice-cubes made from coffee floating in your cold coffee are a streak of pure genius - no need to drink diluted coffee again!

Alpha Donuts
45-1 Queens Blvd
Sunnyside, NY 11104
Neighborhood: Sunnyside, NY
A search for the best French crullers in the city will certainly get you here! Besides serving other Boston cream, Chocolate glazed doughnut varieties, this retro diner setup also offers a terrific home style breakfast.

Flavorful Indian cuisine in New York

2010-10-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

A narrowed down assortment of what I feel may be just some of the best NYC places to load up on the authentic flavors of Indian cooking. Easy on the wallet too!

Mumbai Xpress
25605 Hillside Ave
Floral Park, NY 11004
Neighborhood: Bellerose, NY
This place doesn't shy away from trying to recreate Bombay street food and manages to whip up 'almost-alike' versions of the original Franki, Pav bhaji, Spring Rolls and Wada Pav :)

Tandoori Hut
119-04 94th Ave
Richmond Hill, NY 11418
Neighborhood: Richmond Hill, NY
There is nothing even remotely 'mild spicy' about this no-nonsense Punjabi eatery!

Southern Spice
143-06 45th Ave
Flushing, NY 11355
Neighborhood: Flushing, NY
For the lovers of fish curries and tangy tamarind/tomato based rasams from the South Indian states.

Sagar Sweet Restaurant
16825A Hillside Ave
Jamaica, NY 11432
Neighborhood: Jamaica, NY
Head to this Bengali cuisine house if your taste buds are craving an ultimate chicken biryani and kebabs

Ganesha Temple Canteen
45-57 Bowne St
Flushing, NY 11355
Neighborhoods: Flushing, Murray Hill
The food is a delight to a fan of the coconutty, rice-based, vegetarian South-Indian cuisine. The seating is public high school cafeteria like and the prices are extremely affordable.

Thakali Kitchen

74-14 37th Ave
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Neighborhood: Jackson Heights, NY
For the delicate but delectable flavors of Himalayan/Nepalese momos, aloo chilly and pork thukpa. Don't forget to sip on some salty butter tea!

Enjoy the flavor eruption :)

Honeymoon suites with private pools n more :)

2010-10-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

I have heard about almost all of these, could be affordable too esp in low season :

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/the-best-honeymoon-suites-with-private-pools-2394473/;_ylt=AlxXdQFnU.prbbaNktvJ9.WBbqU5#photoViewer=1

This one is in the Maldives and is super expensive I think, Kalpi/Sid went here:

Alila Villa Hadahaa:

http://www.alilahotels.com/hadahaa

Again Maldives, Dee went here:

http://www.naladhu.com/

worlds Sexiest beaches :-)

http://www.bing.com/browse?g=world_beaches&qpvt=World's+beaches&FORM=hphot3#toc=0

The world's best Chocolate Chip cookies

2010-09-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

Can you really beat the plain chocolate chip cookie? Or perhaps, the same cookie loaded with a double dose of chocolate chunks and nuts. Or maybe dunked in a glass of cold milk.

Probably not :))

Nestle Toll House cookies has been handing out the recipe for the 'best tasting chocolate chip cookies' for over half a century now. And we do know that thousands of moms across America have been baking this recipe in their kitchens and feeding their kids, what to each of them tastes like the 'world's best chocolate chip cookies ever'.

And really, this famous classic American cookie is a treat no matter what the age or occasion!

I haven't tried the Nestle Toll House recipe yet, but not so long ago I tried making a couple of batches of chocolate chips/walnut cookies for Christmas. Did I, in my maiden attempt, succeed in turning a bowl of uncooked batter into a sweet goodness of chunks that just melted in the mouth?

Honestly, I didn't even get close.

They were sweet but overcooked, crunchy but insanely tough, and I think one batch just tasted (and even looked) like sweetened mud cakes! I remember trying to serve them in a pretty looking glass bowl to everyone who visited my home during the holiday season and it wasn't long before their polite "No thank you" turned into a glaring "What will you take to keep those mud sliders away from us?" I am sincerely sorry to have subjected my poor friends and loyal tasters to such ruthless, stomach-wrenching rounds of tasting.

Oh well, someday I still aspire to be the mom who makes the world's best chocolate chip cookies :))

But until then I have decided to explore the territories of other, better-experienced and well-known bakers. In short, I will just be visiting some popular bakeries around to sample some delicious molten goodness of chocolate and flour :))

Levain Bakery Manhattan, NY

"a monster-sized disk of gooey chocolate with a cake-like chewy texture"

Almondine Brooklyn, NY

"Fabulously chewy, moderately gooey, and absolutely delicious"

Jacques Torres Chocolate Manhattan, NY

"chocolatey, with plenty of chips"

And some more

Try these out, and remember to have your glass of creamy, ice cold milk ready!

Smile ..

2010-08-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love,
a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”
~ Mother Teresa

Do you remember how you felt when you were suddenly greeted with a genuine smile? Or when you were standing awkwardly in a subway car full of strangers and someone suddenly smiled at you for no reason at all? It is really contagious and elevates your entire mood to a positive state.

Begin by smiling more often at family and friends. Smile as you make your way through a busy day. Try smiling at passing by strangers. Most importantly, smile genuinely :))

Overall spreading happiness by smiling is just an amazing experience ... and you never know who is falling in love with your smile :)) Of course, there's the added bonus that they might even smile back!

1000 Awesome Things!

2010-08-13T08:21:00.001-07:00

So here's a blog that is really all about spreading happy thoughts.

How does it do that? By simply adding an 'awesome' thing to it's growing list of 1000 Awesome things

Read, enjoy and smile :))

And the feeling you get is just, pure Awesome !

Healthy Choices When Eating Out

2010-08-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

These tips (found at WebMD.com) will help in making your eating out experiences healthy and enjoyable while keeping the levels of fat and cholesterol in your meals low.

Try doing this before you order your food:

If you are familiar with the menu, decide what to order before entering the restaurant. This tactic will help you avoid any tempting foods that may not be so healthy.
If you are trying a new restaurant, take time study the menu in order to avoid making unhealthy decisions.
Have the server remove temptations (butter, for example) from the table.
Drink two full glasses of water before your food arrives.
Avoid foods described in the following way: buttery, buttered, fried, pan-fried, creamed, escalloped, au gratin (with cheese), or a la mode (with ice cream).
If you want to eat bread, choose Melba toast or whole-grain rolls without butter or margarine.

Try doing this when you order your food:

Order foods that are steamed, broiled, grilled, stir-fried, or roasted.
Order potatoes baked, boiled, or roasted instead of fried. Ask the server to leave off the butter and sour cream.
Order first so that you will not be influenced by other's choices.
For appetizers, order broth-based soups such as minestrone or gazpacho.
Choose seafood, chicken, or lean meat rather than fatty meats; remove all visible fat from any meat.
Order broiled, baked, grilled, steamed or poached entrees
Ask the server to substitute low-fat foods for high-fat foods. For example, ask for steamed vegetables instead of fries.
Ask the chef to remove the skin from poultry and to prepare your food without butter or cream sauces. Or ask for the sauce on the side so you can control how much you eat.
Ask the server about ingredients or preparation methods for the dishes you're not familiar with.
Order vegetable side dishes without sauces or butter or ask them to put them on the side.
For dessert, order sorbet or fresh, seasonal fruit without whipped cream or a topping.

Salad Tips

When choosing from a salad bar, avoid items like grated cheese, prepared salads, cream dressings, chopped eggs, bacon bits and croutons.
Use a squeeze of lemon instead of dressing on salads. Or try rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
If you opt for dressing on your salad, order the dressing on the side. Dip your salad fork into the dressing, then into the salad. You will consume less dressing if you just get a taste of it on each mouthful of salad, rather than pouring it over the salad.

The Giving Pledge Club

2010-08-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

In a letter where he pledges to give away almost all of his wealth to philanthropy, Warren Buffet explains the basis for his decision in one of his inspiring letters:

"In 2006, I made a commitment to gradually give all of my Berkshire Hathaway stock to philanthropic foundations. I couldn't be happier with that decision.

Now, Bill and Melinda Gates and I are asking hundreds of rich Americans to pledge at least 50% of their wealth to charity. So I think it is fitting that I reiterate my intentions and explain the thinking that lies behind them.

First, my pledge: More than 99% of my wealth will go to philanthropy during my lifetime or at death. Measured by dollars, this commitment is large. In a comparative sense, though, many individuals give more to others every day.

Millions of people who regularly contribute to churches, schools, and other organizations thereby relinquish the use of funds that would otherwise benefit their own families. The dollars these people drop into a collection plate or give to United Way mean forgone movies, dinners out, or other personal pleasures. In contrast, my family and I will give up nothing we need or want by fulfilling this 99% pledge.

Moreover, this pledge does not leave me contributing the most precious asset, which is time. Many people, including -- I'm proud to say -- my three children, give extensively of their own time and talents to help others. Gifts of this kind often prove far more valuable than money. A struggling child, befriended and nurtured by a caring mentor, receives a gift whose value far exceeds what can be bestowed by a check. My sister, Doris, extends significant person-to-person help daily. I've done little of this.

What I can do, however, is to take a pile of Berkshire Hathaway stock certificates -- "claim checks" that when converted to cash can command far-ranging resources -- and commit them to benefit others who, through the luck of the draw, have received the short straws in life. To date about 20% of my shares have been distributed (including shares given by my late wife, Susan Buffett). I will continue to annually distribute about 4% of the shares I retain. At the latest, the proceeds from all of my Berkshire shares will be expended for philanthropic purposes by 10 years after my estate is settled. Nothing will go to endowments; I want the money spent on current needs.

This pledge will leave my lifestyle untouched and that of my children as well. They have already received significant sums for their personal use and will receive more in the future. They live comfortable and productive lives. And I will continue to live in a manner that gives me everything that I could possibly want in life.

Some material things make my life more enjoyable; many, however, would not. I like having an expensive private plane, but owning a half-dozen homes would be a burden. Too often, a vast collection of possessions ends up possessing its owner. The asset I most value, aside from health, is interesting, diverse, and long-standing friends.

My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest. Both my children and I won what I call the ovarian lottery. (For starters, the odds against my 1930 birth taking place in the U.S. were at least 30 to 1. My being male and white also removed huge obstacles that a majority of Americans then faced.) My luck was accentuated by my living in a market system that sometimes produces distorted results, though overall it serves our country well. I've worked in an economy that rewards someone who saves the lives of others on a battlefield with a medal, rewards a great teacher with thank-you notes from parents, but rewards those who can detect the mispricing of securities with sums reaching into the billions. In short, fate's distribution of long straws is wildly capricious.

The reaction of my family and me to our extraordinary good fortune is not guilt, but rather gratitude. Were we to use more than 1% of my claim checks on ourselves, neither our happiness nor our well-being would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99% can have a huge effect on the health and welfare of others. That reality sets an obvious course for me and my family: Keep all we can conceivably need and distribute the rest to society, for its needs. My pledge starts us down that course."

A total of 40 U.S. billionaires have pledged to give away at least 50 percent of their wealth as part of a campaign by investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, which was initiated in June 2010. The Giving Pledge is this very effort to invite the wealthiest individuals and families in America to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to the philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice either during their lifetime or after their death.

The Impossible Dream

2010-08-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

About the age of fourteen, I remember reading this article in school as a part of the coursework. It's written by Art Buchwald, a Pulitzer Prize winning American columnist. Read on as Buchwald talks about his experience while sharing a ride with a friend in New York City:

I was in New York City the other day and rode with a friend in a taxi. When we got out my friend said to the driver, "Thank you for the ride. You did a superb job of driving."

The taxi driver was stunned for a second. Then he said, "Are you a wise guy or something?"

"No my dear man, and I'm not putting you on. I admire the way you keep cool in heavy traffic."

"Yeah, sure!" the driver said and drove off.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"I'm trying to put love back in New York City," my friend said. "I believe it's the only thing that can save the city."

"How can one man save New York City?" I asked.

"It's not one man. I believe I have made the taxi driver's day. Suppose he has 20 fares. He's going to be nice to those 20 fares because someone was nice to him. Those fares in turn will be kinder to their employees or shop-keepers or waiters or even their own families. Eventually the goodwill could spread to at least 1000 people. Now that isn't bad, is it?" he asked.

"But you're depending on the taxi driver to pass your goodwill to others," I responded.

"I'm not depending on it," he said. "I'm aware that the system isn't foolproof so I might deal with 10 different people today. It, out of 10, I can make 3 happy then eventually I can indirectly influence the attitudes of 3000 more."

"It sounds good on paper," I admitted, "but I'm not sure it works in practice."

"Nothing is lost if it doesn't," he stated. "It didn't take any of my time to tell the man he was doing a good job. He neither received a larger tip nor a smaller tip. If it fell on deaf ears, so what? Tomorrow there will be another taxi driver who I can try to make happy."

"You're some kind of a nut," I said.

"That shows how cynical you have become," he exclaimed. "I have made a study of this. The thing that seems to be lacking, besides money of course, for our postal employees is that no one tells people who work for the post office what a good job they're doing."

"But they're not doing a good job," I responded.

"They're not doing a good job," he replied, "because they feel no one cares if they do or not. Why shouldn't someone say a kind word to them?"

We were walking past a structure in the process of being built and passed five workmen eating their lunch. My friend stopped, "That is a magnificent job you men have been doing. When will it be finished?"

"June," a man grunted.

"Ah. That really is impressive. You must be very proud," he stated. We walked away. I said to him, "I haven't seen anyone like you since 'The Man from La Mancha'."

"When those men digest my words, they will feel better for it," he said. "Somehow the city will benefit from their happiness."

"But you can't do this all alone!" I protested. "You're just one man."

"The most important thing is not to get discouraged," he responded. "Making people in this city become kind again is not an easy job, but if I can enlist other people in my campaign..."

"You just winked at a very plain looking woman," I said.

"Yes, I know," he replied. "And if she's a school teacher, her class will be in for a fantastic day!"

This article by Buchwald was originally titled Love and the Cabbie. But I remember it titled ' The Impossible Dream' in my coursework at school, which I feel fits the article quite aptly! Though I stumbled across this years ago, it has been among those precious pieces of text that I have still retained in my conscious mind. It reminds me to practise the simple act of trying to spread a few kind messages to the people whose paths I cross.

A broad smile, a soft gesture, a little helping deed .. all can go a long way in lifting many a heavy hearts that we come across as we traverse the tapestry of our living days! And remember, though 'saving' an entire population may seem like an impossible dream, the most important thing, as Art Buchwald's friend puts it 'is not to get discouraged' :) Just want to add to this by stating, that kindness like charity should begin in our own homes. Practising simple acts of kindness in our families, will enable us to naturally radiate the same feeling to strangers when we step outside our homes.

On a slightly off note, it was during the time I had read this article that I developed the earliest feelings of wanting to visit, explore and experience life in NYC .. which has been a substantial part of my life for the past several years :D

Bargains all year round

2010-07-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

There are bargain shopping deals for each month of the year. For bargain prices on the right items at the right time, click here.

Adventure trips around the world

2010-07-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

Just sticking a link about some not so commonly heard of adventure trips from around the world.

I also think that some of these can be quite romantic :) Pedaling in and out of French wineries, riding horseback across the Yellowstone National Park or kayaking through the waters in the Chilean terrains to reach the Pacific ocean ... ummmm, I'm already lovin' it!

... about true love

2010-07-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails ...

- A verse from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13

Seventy feet under ...

2010-07-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

Destination: Farmington, New Mexico, USA (famous Four Corners region of the U.S)

Attraction: A home 70 feet below the earth - a cave really! Kokopelli's Cave Bed & Breakfast

Things to do: Watch the sun set over 4 states from the balcony and by the night, all-you-can-do stargazing.

Travel dates: Soon .. anytime now!

Treesort - A vacation on the tree top!

2010-06-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

Destination: Takilma, Oregon, USA

Attraction: Houses (.. furniture, bathtubs, gazebos, etc) that hang from trees!

Welcome to the Out'n'About Treehouse Treesort

Travel dates: Open year round, but definitely warmer from June - October.

Readings n Musings

2010-06-10T04:55:00.000-07:00

While reading 'Mennonite in a Little Black Dress - A Memoir of Going Home" - by Rhoda Janzen, I came across a lot of quotes I really felt like retaining in my memory.

In one of the later chapter's, when Rhoda talks about a chat with her Mennonite mother, she quotes her Ma's feelings about religion (in general):

"When you are young religion is so much about what is right and wrong, what you should do and not do. When you turn older, you realize that your religion is about your relationship with God, with those around you, with the community you live in."

The Great American Road Trip

2010-03-31T06:28:00.000-07:00

Driving down classic two-lane American roads, passing by great displays of neon signs, rusty middle-of-nowhere truck shops, all-time favorite pop numbers "I would walk 500-miles" playing on the car stereo .. all along just making that unforgettable journey through diverse American landscapes and people .... welcome to The Great American Road Trip!

The Mother Road or The Historic Route 66 will be the road of choice for parts of the trip, mainly in states of AZ, NM and TX. This historic route will turn your mini-van into a time machine! Spring coincidentally happens to be the best time to drive along this corridor. The journey along this route can be comfortably done in a week, along with a few detours planned for attractions.

Destination State 1: Colorado (Fly in city Denver )

Attractions: Great Sand Dunes National Park

Cities: Denver, Colorado Springs

Destination State 2: Utah

Attractions Stops: The Bonneville Salt Flats, Capitol Reef National Park

Cities: Salt Lake City

Destination State 3: Arizona

Attractions Stops: Route 66, Oatman Old Ghost Town

Cities: Flagstaff, Phoenix

Destination State 4: New Mexico

Possible Attractions: Carlsbad Caverns, Route 66, El Rancho Hotel and Motel

Cities: Albuquerque, Gallup

Destination State 5: Texas (Fly out city Austin)

Attractions: Route 66, Interstate 10 (U.S.-Mexico Border) & Route 90, Big Bend National Park

Cities: El Paso to Marathon, Austin

Drive along Route 66 crossing Way point destination states: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois (Fly out city - Chicago)

Major classic road trip routes: Historic Route 66 also (States covered: at least AZ, NM, TX and OK, KN, MO, IL if possible ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_66

Music playlists: http://hubpages.com/hub/Best-Road-Trip-Songs-Playlist

Route 66 TakeMytrip: http://www.takemytrip.com/07sedona/07_14b.htm

More information building up .. comments are welcome.

I like to save some thoughts, feelings (& qoutes) for later.. just in case :)

2010-02-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

I smile sometimes, I cry sometimes; I live sometimes...no reason... just

A great way to get people to co-operate is a smile :)

I'm trying to pack...I take everything I don't need, leave everything I DO need behind...

Off to the airport... I hate standing in queues... Why can't we all just love each other, so then we wouldn't need security checks?

I've decided to maybe start writing, not a script....just thoughts in general...There are way too many thoughts in my head :)

Realization!

2010-01-21T00:55:00.000-08:00

Today I attended a celebration with my friends. A celebration of a close friend who is going to be wed to her beloved!
The momentous, fun-filled evening which only grew to be wilder and crazier, proved to be an experience of a lifetime. Not that it was extremely outer world-like or eye-opening in any sane way, but it did reinforce some deeper thoughts and emotions that some of us had been struggling to position in priority within our individual minds.

Our friend of a several years, is absolutely in shape for one of the most memorable steps in her life. The early symptoms of the precarious, cold feet have eased out of her mind and the strong-rooted veins of responsibility have been gradually making home in her heart. She, who has mostly , always been level-headed in her ways has found what will just add more strength, texture and color to the warps and woofs of her own life :)) And the feeling that occupies her aura is mostly that of subtle contentment and a deep conviction at multiple levels. Which according to many, can definitely constitute to the raw but stable beginnings of a new marriage!

As the evening progressed into enjoyment, amusement and climaxed into laughter and hearty conversations, we grew more aware of what marriage can substantiate to in many of our lives. What I derived is that marriage can certainly not qualify as a 'destination' and least of all a 'milestone', but rather is just a 'way-point' in your yet to be explored travel itinerary! Well that certainly relaxed my guts a bit on the whole frontier that I had been building up towards marriage.

I mean, if you treat marriage as a way-point in your life's travels, you can most assuredly give up the fears that accompany the feeling of it being an end destination or boundary stop, no? "End of bachelorhood", "Game-over", "An overload of responsibilities" ,,, Most of these notorious adages would then sound like a faint rattling in the distance. Once your vehicle makes through this way-point, you just enter into a usual world of more way-points, some more ordinary milestones and maybe some extra-ordinary en-route destinations. Nothing that you wouldn't pass otherwise, it's just a slightly different path you would traverse due to the presence and influence of a whole different set of people (& forces) in the journey of your life.

As we descended the high (fun) point of the evening into some of these deeper emotional exchanges, we eased into a comfortable territory of enlightened awareness. It made me ponder on just how much of what we exactly wanted. I derived the answers to some of my own questions and we bid goodbye with a pocketful of some thought-provoking take-aways :)

The evening was a great mix of lighthearted fun and deep-rooted conversational exchanges with a high dosage of emotional bonding among friends!
And to my soon to be wedded friends, Cheers to a lifetime of excitement and discovery .. as you grow older together with each other!! You guys are right, "The best is still to come" :))

My 2008 trip back home to India

2009-12-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

(I had this post written and published in early February 2008 and just recently transferred it from an older blog to out here)

After months of delays, I will finally be traveling to Mumbai at the end of this week for my long due vacation. Excitement has always been an understatement to describe my feelings associated with this trip. It's always a whirlpool of emotions that get stirred up with visiting one's home, being received into the eager arms of your people, being greeted by the kind faces of your kin, seeing the sights that date back to your childhood and feeling the warmth of being back in that place that you will always call your very own.

It's the journey you want to take back into time, hoping that it has stood still for your return :) And yet you know that time has flown by at the instance you lay your foot on the warm soils of your homeland. The population, their pace, the structures and all their collective energy will have acquired so many strange and different forms that they will be near unrecognizable to you, who had left them behind in what was probably a far more familiar state. And then you start wondering whether you can ever belong back to your homeland with same intimacy that you had half a dozen years ago.

But amidst all the unfamiliarity of sights, chaos of voices and conflicts in your mind, you slowly start recognizing a striking familiarity. It's the familiarity of emotions flowing from those loving hearts, the simplicity of the feelings in those unchanged minds and the peace in the secure embraces of every man, woman or child you had ever shared your memories with.

Well, I get this feeling every time I return for my brief vacation. It takes me a good amount of time to get used to the overwhelm at first. There are so many sights and breaths to intake and get a hang of, yet you are left asking for more and more :) And then when I have gradually settled into a lukewarm pool of acceptance, familiarity and generosity, I find out that its time to return to where I came from.

The question I ask is, how many years of separation would I need to exchange in return for the bliss of my own home. Whatever that figure maybe, someday I hope to have made it to this place I have always known as my very own :)

With lots of nostalgia
-Michelle

Dining for the savvy world traveler

2009-12-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.mysavvytraveller.com/2.html

need to develop more ..

At the 'heel of Italy' - the Region of Puglia

2009-12-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

Italy among it's fascinating cities and towns, has nestled a rare architectural site, right at it's heel!

Yes, imagine Italy to be a shapely leg whose foot is shod by a Manalo Blahnik high-heeled boot. Puglia (Apulia) is Italy's elegant stiletto heel.

Region: Puglia in Italy, exceptionally sun-soaked and dry, rarely frequented by English-speaking travelers

Town : Alberobello, designated as a UNESCO world heritage site

Attraction: Trulli structures - collection of some 1,500 trulli
Trullo - A very peculiar type of building, beehive-shaped, whitewashed structure made of stone, usually used as barns in farming areas within the Val d'Itria, but also used as housing in fairly large-scale communities like Alberobello, where over 1000 Trulli are situated on terraces. The original Trulli date back hundreds, if not thousands of years, but the curious style has been revived by modern homeowners in the area, resulting in Trulli resorts for visitors

A row of trullo structures

Inside a trullo house

Wikitravel guide: http://wikitravel.org/en/Alberobello

Map it @ http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=hphot4&cp=40.785669~17.235374&style=h&lvl=10&tilt=-90&dir=0&explore=sst.0~tag.wikipedia

The rest of Puglia is exotic in many ways, partly due to its historical evolution, but also because socially and culturally. Puglia has been catching up to the rest of Italy in attracting the modern tourist. As you explore Puglia's cities and towns, and outlying areas, you will encounter Greek and Roman ruins, paleo-christian ruins, and public and ecclesiastical buildings done in every major style from Romanesque, to Gothic to Renaissance.

And now that I have been reminded about Puglia, Italy, there is also Venice, Capri and Sorrento that I would like to write about.... coming soon!

Your cup of tea in the city - Tea Rooms of Manhattan

2009-11-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

When it's time to relax, unfold your senses and simmer in an amalgam of your thoughts, no beverage other than the tea come to my mind.

Whether you like your cuppa tea served in a calming green tone with freshly boiled leaves or refreshing black with a dash of cream and sugar....there's a little for every personality in the various tea rooms established all over New York city.

And when I am not inclined towards hunting down one of these divine tea rooms, I just turn around the corner and enter through those doors marked with the friendly, green Starbucks logo :)

Cha-An
Neighborhood: East Village
230 E. 9th St
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd ave)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cha-an-new-york
A Japanese Tea House recommended for some authentic tea, served with equally delicious food and marvelous desserts!

Tea Spot
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
127 MacDougal Street
(between W 3rd and W 4th streets)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tea-spot-new-york#hrid:OaRBzwS5D-J6MB4rp2VvpA
A great selection of teas topped off with free wi-fi connectivity!

Old school New York

2009-11-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

For the charm and the classic spirit of old New York, while nurturing a $20 glass of scotch, head to the following watering holes.

Blue Bar @ the Algonquin Hotel
Neighborhood: Midtown East
59 W 44th Street
(between 5th Ave & 6th Ave)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-bar-at-the-algonquin-hotel-new-york-city

King Cole @ the Regis Hotel
Neighborhood: Midtown East
2 East 55th Street
(between 5th Ave & Madison Ave)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/king-cole-bar-the-st-regis-hotel-new-york

Bar @ The Pierre Hotel
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
2 E 61st St
(between 5th Ave & Madison Ave)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pierre-hotel-new-york-2

Madame Geneva @ Double Crown Hotel
Neighborhood: NoHo
4 Bleecker St
(between Bowery & Elizabeth St)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/madam-geneva-new-york
http://www.sheckys.com/newyorkcity/search/double_crown_1_9344.asp

The midnight Sun in Greenland

2009-11-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Land of the Midnight Sun, a state of timelessness. This natural phenomenon along with Aurora Borealis, ethereal icebergs, Ilulissat Icefjord, and a massive ice sheet covering 656000 square miles of land area are found on the world's largest island: Greenland, which is almost three times the size of the US state of Texas!

The Land of Midnight Sun
Midnight sun in Greenland is practically a state of mind, and the traditional concept of time loses all meaning. You may as well leave your watch in your suitcase, because the day has neither a beginning nor an end. Children on roller skates run down the street in the middle of the night with the sun hanging low in the horizon. Small motorboats chug out of the harbour and groups of people sit dotted around the hills enjoying the never-ending rays of sunshine. During the summer the small communities buzz with life until the early hours.

Where to see the midnight sun -
Midnight sun can be experienced north of the Arctic Circle for a period lasting from a single day to five months depending on how far north you travel. In central Greenland the sun does not set from the end of May until the end of July. During this period, the soft, warm rays from the low-lying sun make the surrounding scenery appear almost dreamlike; icebergs and hilltops are bathed in a surrealistic palette of pink, purple, yellow and red hues.
North of the Arctic Circle it means that the sun can be seen around the clock during the summer months. In contrast, the dark polar nights are characteristic of the region during the winter. In the southerly regions of Greenland that do not lie within the Arctic Circle there is no midnight sun, although the nights certainly do remain light during the summer months.

Content courtesy of : http://www.greenland.com/content/english/tourist

An arched Iceberg near Nuugaatsiaq, West Greenland.

Omnivorous to Herbivorous - The culinary path towards vegetarianism

2009-11-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

For a long time, being a gastronome to me meant having unbiased, unrestricted access to savory meals that infused my taste buds with an array of different flavors. In addition, being raised an omnivore, just caused my reflexes to naturally intake all types of food placed before me, without so much as giving a second thought to distinguishing between it's sources: plant or animal. This attitude very well allowed me to explore foods from almost all groups and all levels of the food pyramid!
Culinary satisfaction to it's fullest! At least that is what I thought.

But for a few years now, my omnivorous routines have been raising my concerns about health, food safety, sustainable fishing and not the least, animal cruelty.
It all started with a prolonged bout of feeling weak and unhealthy, mainly due to the lack of a well-balanced diet and one that mainly comprised of sugars, 'food toxins', animal fats and hardly any greens, fibers or healthy fats.

I investigated my diet, questioned my health habits and read intensively on what could possibly deliver the feeling of being healthy from within. I didn't immediately seem convinced that going vegetarian was the way towards my goals, especially since I was losing weight by the pounds and was diagnosed for iron and vitamin B12 deficiency - 2 important nutrients that are more easily assimilated by our digestive systems through animal food sources.

But an increased intake of meat wasn't the right solution, in fact it did further damage to the way I felt about my skin, my energy levels and my general well-being. Also, I learned gradually that my specific nutrient deficiencies just required to be combated through supplements.

At the same time I started reading a book, the autobiography of a great leader and humanitarian, who preached non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi, even though raised a vegetarian, describes how he had several phases where meat was a primary ingredient in his diet and how he mentally reasoned for and against his meat eating habits. He eventually succeeded in his emotional battle and turned back to vegan-ism for life.
Another book called Skinny Bitch is what I read that further helped calm my feelings towards vegetarianism :)

Today, I try to make an educated choice from the food options that are available to me. Every time I decide to go 'veggie' at a meal, I feel more confident of taking the step effortlessly the next time.

With this 'slight' diversion on my culinary path, I hope to more gratefully savor the fruits of a healthy and yet proportionately, balanced diet. Being a faithful herbivore, while not compromising flavor, comes with a variety of tricky dilemmas and odd challenges. But with an evolving creativity, a constant yearning for variety and a dash of openness towards embracing different cuisines, you won't have to make many culinary sacrifices while your omnivorous counterparts release satisfactory but slight belching sounds :-)
To make the entire transition less stressful, slight flexibilities and altercations are the keys you can keep handy!

It seems tough to give up an essential quality of being a true, unrestricted gastronome - the one which lets you indulge in all sorts of flavors and aromas. But setting out into the world of herbivores, I am excited as ever about my prospects of diverging from the beaten path and working towards defining new norms of what a tasty plate of food can constitute.

And then there is always the prospect of jumping into the parallel worlds of frugivores (predominantly fruit), gramnivores (nuts, seeds, etc.), folivores (green leaves) ...etc.
Throw in a few gallons of my favorite liquid - water and there you go ... healthy eating redefined!

Some favorite restaurants in New York City that serve vegetarian fare or are at least vegan friendly:
Buddha Bodai
Location: 5 Mott St (between Chatham Sq & Mosco St)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/buddha-bodai-new-york

Lan Cafe
Location: 342 E 6th Street (between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lan-cafe-new-york

Red Bamboo
Location: 140 W 4th St (between 6th Ave & Mac Dougal St)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/red-bamboo-new-york

Cafe Himalaya
Location: 78 E 1st St (between Ave A & 1st st)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-himalaya-new-york-2

Japanese language basics

2009-11-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

A visual online site to learn a few basic phrases and pronunciations in the Japanese language.

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/language/quickjapanese/quickjapanese01.html

Enjoy :)

New York City hangouts open all night long

2009-11-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

When you are craving that late night snack or are absolutely famished from an eventful night out, there are more than just a handful locations to head to for nourishment!

Presenting New York City go-to spots that cater to the ever-growing population of spirited people! Late night, early dawn or just about at any other time of the day, these establishments never seem to shut their doors .. Go NYC!

Yaffa Cafe
Neighborhood : East Village
97 St. Marks Place
(between 1st Ave & Avenue A)
Categories: Diner, American
Review from Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/yaffa-cafe-new-york#hrid:yK60jhmlCpw7PhkFgSJKSA

Veselka
Neighborhood: East Village
144 2nd Ave
(between 9th St & St Marks Pl)
Categories: Diner, Polish, Ukranian
http://www.yelp.com/biz/veselka-new-york

Kun Jip
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
9 W 32nd St
(between 5th Ave & Broadway)
Category: Korean
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kun-jip-new-york#hrid:QyNdLijydkmrUIZm2GSaEg/src:search/query:late%20night

Hallal cart on 53rd & 6th
Neighborhood: Theater District
53rd St & 6th Ave
http://www.yelp.com/biz/53rd-and-6th-halal-cart-new-york#hrid:oMrSWDJrZSiWvBsxpO7sqw/src:search/query:late%20night

More to be explored and noted..

Happy around the clock dining :)

Bucket List - Places to eat before you die

2009-10-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

1. St. John (London)
Roast bone marrow in Fergus Henderson's plain-white dining room at St. John. Scooped out and slathered onto a crust of toasted bread and sprinkled with sea salt, it's simple yet luxurious.

The menu is proudly English, a rebuke to anyone still laboring under the impression that English food sucks. Famously pork-centric and focused on traditional offal and game dishes, St. John is as wonderful for what it does as for what it doesn't do: compromise. It specializes in good ingredients from 'happy' animals that are treated with love and respect.

Henderson has become a reluctant spiritual leader to a whole generation of chefs -- and even the old-guard guys love to stop by for crispy pig tails, ham in hay or a properly roasted bird. This is one of the truly bullsh---free zones on the culinary landscape.

2. elBulli (Girona, Spain)
It's the hardest reservation in the world. And everything they say is true: It's an adventure, a challenge, a delicious and always fun acid trip to the farthest reaches of creativity.

Brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià and their team are the most influential and creative people working in food -- and this surprisingly casual restaurant on a sleepy cove on Spain's Costa Brava is probably the most important restaurant of our time.

Love it or hate it, if you have the opportunity to wangle a reservation, do it. It's like seeing Jimi Hendrix's first show. Forget any preconceptions you might have. Is it good? Yes. More important -- is it fun? Yes. Yes. Yes.

3. The French Laundry (Napa Valley, Calif.)
4. Per Se (New York)
The best sit-down, multicourse, white-tablecloth meal of my life was at the French Laundry. And subsequent meals at Per Se, also run by chef Thomas Keller, were no less wonderful.

There's no better way to go than the full-on tasting menu, a once-in-a-lifetime marriage of the best ingredients, creative thinking and high standards, along with the personal imprint of the most respected chef in the world.

How can Keller be at both restaurants at once? It doesn't matter. Pick one. Fast for 2 days, stretch your stomach with water the day of, and then see how they do it at the very top. It's a level of perfection in food and service that few even try to approach.

5. Sin Huat Eating House (Singapore)
It's grimy looking, the service can be less than warm, the beer is served in a bottle (often with ice) and the tables sit halfway into the streets of Geylang, Singapore's red-light district.

But the crab bee hoon -- giant Sri Lankan beasts cooked with a spicy mystery sauce and noodles -- is pure messy indulgence. The whelks, steamed spotted cod, prawns, scallops (in fact, any seafood available that day) are all worth having. Warning: It looks cheap, but it's not.

6. Le Bernardin (New York)
This is the best fish joint ... anywhere. And it's relevant and fun, despite its formal service and fine-dining ambience.

The grand tasting menu is a stripped-down thing of relatively austere beauty. And whatever they're doing this year or this month is always, always interesting.

7. Salumi (Seattle)
It's a sandwich shop with a couple of tables and a true mom-and-pop -- even if they're the mom and pop of famous chef Mario Batali.

Anything cured, anything braised, any of the limited hot specials ... in fact, anything the Batalis make is worth grabbing with both hands.

8. Russ & Daughters (New York)
9. Katz's Delicatessen (New York)
Russ & Daughters started as a pushcart nearly a century ago, and it now serves some of the last traditional Eastern European Jewish-style herring and smoked belly lox, sable and sturgeon.

And since you're close, walk down a few doors to Katz's to remind yourself how pastrami is done right. This is what New Yorkers do better than anybody else. And here's where they do it.

10. Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)
Victor Arguinzoniz grills unlikely ingredients over homemade charcoal: baby eels, imperial beluga caviar, oysters. (The fresh chorizo and prawns work, too.)

Theoretically you can't grill a lot of this stuff, but a handcrafted series of pulleys that raise and lower each item makes it possible. Eat here, and no one is eating better.

11. Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo)
The best sushi on earth? Maybe. Jiro Ono is more than 80 years old, and he's been doing old-school Edo-style sushi his whole life.

Every piece of fish is served at precisely the right temperature and the rice and seaweed alone are blackout good. Ono will ruin sushi for you from anywhere else.

12. Hot Doug's (Chicago)
This place convinced me the Chicago red hot is, in fact, superior to the New York hot dog.

And it's home to two great innovations in American gastronomy: the 'foie gras dog' and the weekends-only practice of cooking French fries in duck fat. It's proof that food doesn't have to be expensive to be great.

13. Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue (Kansas City)
People may disagree on who has the best BBQ. Here, the brisket (particularly the burnt ends), pulled pork and ribs are all of a quality that meet the high standards even of Kansas City natives.

It's the best BBQ in Kansas City, which makes it the best BBQ in the world.

Anthony Bourdain is the host of the Travel Channel's 'No Reservations.'

Shack Burger - A New York spin on the West-Coast style burger

2009-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/06/shake-shack-flatiron-district-madison-square-park-manhattan-burgers-nyc.html

Midtown New York lunchtime

2009-10-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

A guide to attaining culinary satisfaction in the food wasteland of Midtown Manhattan!
http://midtownlunch.com/zachs-picks/

...read some Readers polls:
http://midtownlunch.com/2009/01/07/the-best-midtown-lunches-as-voted-on-by-you-2008-edition/

And meet the Vendy Awards finalists
http://streetvendor.org/vendys/finalists

Is it just October or is it Oktoberfest ?

2009-10-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Oktoberfest - Germany

Trivia about the 2009 Oktoberfest event
http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/article/About+the+Oktoberfest/About+the+Oktoberfest/%22Just+a+nice+Oktoberfest!%22/1454/

Leisure....time to stand and stare

2009-09-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

-William Henry Davies (3 July 1871– 26 September 1940), a Welsh poet and writer.

The house that William Davies last lived in - 'Glendower', Watledge, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, UK

Skylines of the World cities

2009-08-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Where do our travels generally lead us? Towards high snow-caped mountains and deep lush green valleys. Into beautiful coastal sunsets and quaint country roads? Through historical towns and mystical monuments?

And on dozens of other explored and unexplored trails ... our travels can stretch far and near, into the landscapes of the earth.

But wherever you may travel to, you will hardly ever be too far away from one of the world's sparkling big cities filled with multitudes of people and the marvelous chaos that they call life!

The brightest lights and tallest buildings constitute a large part of the skyline of any such big city. Right here, is a peek into how some of these cities may look like by night fall. Almost like glittering constellations in the dark stretches of night!

Tokyo, Japan
A city that is filled with "high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan ... This city has something for everyone!"
-- Wiki travel

Atlanta, Georgia, USA
A city that "balances southern traditions with sleek modernism ... boasts three skylines and the world’s busiest airport!"
-- Wiki travel

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
A city that is "often called the cultural capital of Australia ... and one of the best destinations in the world for the culinary traveler."
-- Wiki travel

Manhattan, New York, USA
A "The City that Never Sleeps" can be no other than New york city... an indefinable confluence of anything and everything that can cross your imagination.
-- Wiki travel

Seattle, Washington, USA
"The Emerald City" is a damp green gem with an abundance of evergreen trees, spectacular views of mountains... a vibrant arts scene .. and of course, the home of the Space Needle.
-- Wiki travel

Miami Beach, Florida, USA
One of America's "pre-eminent beach resorts" has a rich history as an entertainment and cultural destination, from world-famous Art Deco architecture to renowned nightclubs to designer fashions.
-- Wiki travel

Coming up: more World cities..

Surreal Sunrise Drive

2009-08-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

It is said to be the oldest man made attraction in the United States of America.

What is it: A road that leads atop one of the highest mountains in USA

Really? : Yes, New Hampshire's Mount Washington Auto Road is officially 148 years old this August 2009

The road: Auto Road

Where: Mount Washington, New Hampshire

The drive along the road: Miles of spectacular valley views and mountain panorama

Season: Summer

Best time to get there: Between 5:00am - 5:30am

Wait, are you kidding me? : Only if experiencing the surreal is a joke :)

What do I do when I get there so early in the morning? : Well, you can sip some morning coffee while watching the seductive red-orange sunrise glow from the top of the Northeast's highest peak!

OK! So is this Sunrise Drive open to the public any day?: The road is open on selected days of the year. The Sunrise Drive itself is doable about three times a summer. This year Mount Washington's winding Auto Road opens early (June 28 at 3:30 a.m., July 26 at 4 a.m., Aug. 30 at 4:30 a.m.), and fans get behind the wheel for a pre-dawn drive to the summit, where nature's curtain unveils everything from fickle fog to a sea of mountains.

- Mount Washington Auto Road, Route 16, Pinkham Notch, 603-466-3988,

Bombay ... meri Jaan, my life!

2009-07-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Gateway of India

The city that never sleeps, where the lights never go out, the east meets the west, poverty confluences with affluence, energy lashes alongside power and all the ordinary walks of life suddenly seem so extraordinary! Step into the most populous place in the world, the hub of anything and everything India, the heart of millions - Bombay (मुंबई, Mumbaī ) - the Maximum City.

So what concoctions really make up this city called Bombay?

The Lonely Planet has attempted to compose Bombay's constitutions in the following words. In my opinion, these lines have captured almost an excellent view of the city's social, economic and cultural landscape:

"Measure out: one part Hollywood; six parts traffic; a bunch of rich power-moguls; stir in half a dozen colonial relics (use big ones); pour in six heaped cups of poverty; add a smattering of swish bars and restaurants (don’t skimp on quality here for best results); equal parts of mayhem and order; as many ancient bazaars as you have lying around; a handful of Hinduism; a dash of Islam; fold in your mixture with equal parts India; throw it all in a blender on high (adding generous helpings of pollution to taste) and presto: Mumbai.

"An inebriating mix of all the above and more, this mass of humanity is a frantic melange of Inida’s extremes. It is the country’s financial powerhouse and its vogue centre of fashion, film and after-dark frolics. Glistening skyscrapers and malls mushroom amid slums and grinding poverty, and Mumbai slowly marches towards a brave new (air-conditioned) world. But not everyone made the guest list: more than half of the population lives in slums, and religious-based social unrest tugs at the skirt of Mumbai’s financial excess.

Only once the initial shell shock of Mumbai’s chaos subsides, can one start to appreciate the city’s allure: a wealth of Art Deco and grand colonial relics; cacophonic temples; warrens of bazaars; and the odd spiritual bastion of tranquility. In Mumbai you can dine at some of the finest restaurants in the country, and work off the appetite gyrating at ultra chic bars alongside Bollywood starlets and wannabes. With a pinch of gumption, a dash of adventure, an open wallet and a running start, there’s no excuse not to dive into the Mumbai madness head-first. "

Words probably can never do enough justice to a city that is as lively and abundant as Bombay. But having lived away from this city (that at least 18 million people still call home) for several years now, words and memories are all I have to solace the heart.

But hey, a picture they say is worth a thousand words! Here's a few of those shots that make up the life, the people and the moods in the city of Bombay.

Cricket match - Azad Maidan, Fort, Mumbai

People relaxing in the evening along the waterfront - Marine Drive, Mumbai

Procession on the streets during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival celebrations

Drummers leading the procession during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival celebrations

Crowds swarming on the beach for a relief of the cool breeze from the Arabian sea - Juhu beach, Mumbai

Full of activity - the Sassoon docks, Mumbai

Human Pyramid being formed to the slogans of "Govinda ala re ala" - festival of Govinda, Mumbai

Source of photos : Lonely Planet Photographers

A scene from the 1988 Hindi film Salaam Bombay! directed by Mira Nair. Most of the young actors who appeared in the film were actual street children from Bombay.

A scene from the 2008 British film Slumdog millionaire directed by Danny Boyle. Some of the child actors that appear in the film are children currently living in real slums in Bombay

The World's largest Dump: Great Pacific Garbage Patch

2009-07-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I am as baffled as can be to even start wondering what kind of stuff this garbage patch could contain. But it is definitely for real, it does exist and isn't just a few hundred square miles or something in area... it's almost twice as huge as Texas!
Read on through this excerpt from HowStuffWorks:

"In the broad expanse of the northern Pacific Ocean, there exists the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a slowly moving, clockwise spiral of currents created by a high-pressure system of air currents. The area is an oceanic desert, filled with tiny phytoplankton but few big fish or mammals. Due to its lack of large fish and gentle breezes, fishermen and sailors rarely travel through the gyre.

But the area is filled with something besides plankton: trash, millions of pounds of it, most of it plastic! It's the largest landfill in the world, and it floats in the middle of the ocean!

The gyre has actually given birth to two large masses of ever-accumulating trash, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches, sometimes collectively called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Eastern Garbage Patch floats between Hawaii and California; scientists estimate its size as two times bigger than Texas. The Western Garbage Patch forms east of Japan and west of Hawaii. Each swirling mass of refuse is massive and collects trash from all over the world. The patches are connected by a thin 6,000-mile long current called the Subtropical Convergence Zone. Research flights showed that significant amounts of trash also accumulate in the Convergence Zone.

The garbage patches present numerous hazards to marine life, fishing and tourism. But before we discuss those, it's important to look at the role of plastic. Plastic constitutes 90 percent of all trash floating in the world's oceans.
Sea turtles, like this one, that live in the warmer waters of this region of the Pacific, are endangered by such garbage pollution and the subsequent habitat loss that occurs.

The United Nations Environment Program estimated in 2006 that every square mile of ocean hosts 46,000 pieces of floating plastic. In some areas, the amount of plastic outweighs the amount of plankton by a ratio of six to one. Of the more than 200 billion pounds of plastic the world produces each year, about 10 percent ends up in the ocean. Seventy percent of that eventually sinks, damaging life on the ocean floor. The rest floats; much of it ends up in gyres and the massive garbage patches that form there, with some plastic eventually washing up on a distant shore"

Mind-numbingly astonishing right! Well, the garbage that we set free had to find a way to survive if not degradable. It's right here thriving in the oceans.

... just a bit on how you could Help Support the cause!

Through the eyes of NASA

2009-07-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

A Perfect Storm of Turbulent Gases

Resembling the fury of a raging sea, this image actually shows a bubbly ocean of glowing hydrogen gas and small amounts of other elements such as oxygen and sulfur.

The photograph, taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, captures a small region within M17, a hotbed of star formation. M17, also known as the Omega or Swan Nebula, is located about 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. The image was released to commemorate the thirteenth anniversary of Hubble's launch.

The wave-like patterns of gas have been sculpted and illuminated by a torrent of ultraviolet radiation from young, massive stars, which lie outside the picture to the upper left. The glow of these patterns accentuates the three-dimensional structure of the gases. The ultraviolet radiation is carving and heating the surfaces of cold hydrogen gas clouds. The warmed surfaces glow orange and red. The intense heat and pressure cause some material to stream away from those surfaces, creating the glowing veil of even hotter greenish gas that masks background structures. The pressure on the tips of the waves may trigger new star formation within them.

The Unveiling

On its 100,000th orbit of planet Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope peered into a small portion of the Tarantula Nebula near the star cluster NGC 2074, unveiling its stellar nursery. The region is a firestorm of raw stellar creation, triggered perhaps by a nearby supernova.

The image reveals dramatic ridges and valleys of dust, serpent-headed "pillars of creation," and gaseous filaments glowing fiercely under torrential ultraviolet radiation. The region is on the edge of a dark molecular cloud that is an incubator for the birth of new stars.

The high-energy radiation blazing out from clusters of hot young stars is slowly eroding nebula, and another young cluster may be hidden beneath the circle of brilliant blue gas.

The region is in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite of our Milky Way galaxy that is a fascinating laboratory for observing star-formation regions and their evolution. Dwarf galaxies like the Large Magellanic Cloud are considered to be the primitive building blocks of larger galaxies.

Content & Image Credit: NASA

Musée du Louvre

2009-07-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

The Louvre Museum

The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world, with a total area of almost 100 acres, including 650,000 square feet of exhibition rooms!
Housed in the Louvre Palace, this behemoth center holds some of the world's most exquisite art masterpieces

See here for some tips for visiting the Louvre Museum

For the adventure seeker within you

2009-07-13T11:39:00.001-07:00

For all sorts of adventurous acts that shake up the the insides of your mind & body and propel you closer to the extremes of nature, speed, force, height and most of all...danger!

Get a sneak preview of some of the coolest extreme adventure sports on this website..things you may have dreamed of experiencing...zipping through tree tops, waterfall rappelling, white-water rafting, surfing, scuba-diving, sky-diving, hand-gliding....and even extreme aerial combat!

Read further for such fun and adventures zones in NY ...

Let the adrenaline rush, unleash the daredevil within you .... explore beyond the boundaries

3 words of advise:
Action, Action, Action!

In the heart of New York City...

2009-07-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

...is a beautiful, expansive park that could very well be called the oasis of New York City!

What it means to the residents and visitors of New York City is an undisturbed stretch of land and water that hosts natural woods, a reservoir recreational activity zones, a wildlife sanctuary, walking tracks, lakes & ponds, a skating rink, a swimming pool, an outdoor theater and abundant naturalistic landscapes - all of this right in the midst of one of the world's greatest cities!

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir - view of Midtown Manhattan at sunset

During the snowstorm of December 2009

Wheel around the worlds largest Ferris Wheel

2009-06-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

Destination : Yokohama, Minato Mirai, Japan

Is that a Ferris wheel?
Yes and it is known to be the worlds Largest

Where is it?
In an amusement park

Does it have a roller coaster?
Of course it does and the ride is jaw-dropping

Most roller-coaster rides are like that, what's great about this one?
Hmmm...Well, this one also dives into the depths of the city :)

Really?
Uh-Huh, see for yourself...

Location:
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=px86fywn2rmz&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&scene=34693135&explore=sst.0&form=hphot4

Wow.... This surely deserves a trip to Japan, no?
Yes! And this place is only an hour by train from Tokyo. So getting there can't be too difficult, that is if you have managed to learn some Japanese by the time you are ready to travel! Here's a map just in case :))

The Falls in fall

2009-06-26T12:46:00.001-07:00

It wouldn't take a second guess to identify where this place is:

Yes. You are pretty darn right! These are the Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

The picture posted here, is probably one of the most exquisite pictures I have ever seen of the natural wonder called Niagara Falls!

Every year, thousands of scenic beauty onlookers flock to absorb in the sounds and sights from these Falls. Also, a very popular destination for newlyweds and daredevils. Yes the daredevils! Ever thought of what it would feel like shooting down the height of these Falls locked inside a barrel? Hundreds of daredevils have dared this thought in action at the Niagara Falls:)

Let there be a pristine earth!

2009-06-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Tagline: One of the most remotest destinations in one of the most remotest nations of the world!

Caveat: Still it is probably most famous tourist destinations of its nation!

Destination: Milford Sound, Southland, New Zealand

Aerial View: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=-44.647651~167.88929&style=h&lvl=11&tilt=-90&explore=sst.0&form=hphot4

Mode of transportation: Inland Waterways!

Images:
http://9ez1ga.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pHVvXJ-D6K6KaZ6WEGdMuDkTstn6w792yECQFLT1Ec9JYqA7pvCsvByZz1YaTXkq0T4yZY2CWFq0ru0of1i0oMw

http://www.cleancruising.com.au/images/ports/NZMFN.jpg

Expected travel Dates: Definitely at least once in the near future!

And these are a few of my favorite things

2008-01-08T17:35:00.000-08:00

And these are a few of my favorite things :)

yes folks, if you want to know more about the little things in life that matter much then visit here to see a composition of my thoughts:
http://littlethingsmattermuch.blogspot.com/

Eat in or take-out ?

2007-12-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2007.

"I am hungry, let's grab a bite to eat"..... we must have said and heard this line a countless times. And yet most solutions to serving this hungry statement are found in high priced eateries, fast-food joints, quick-serve frozen foods and packaged meals. So much that, many a times, all meals that we eat in a day are either "eat-ins" or "take-outs".

The hungry glands in the body, the foodie nerves in the brain, all seem to be yearning for something filling, something tasty yet something that's easily obtainable. To which the above meal ideas seem to be the quickest solution. Alas, only a tiny proportion of these meals can be classified as "nourishing", "wholesome", "food for the soul", or "mom's cooking".

The harvest is plenty, but real satisfaction after a hearty meal comes rarely. The quest for which leads one into ones own kitchen. Highly passionate about the food that reaches my platter and equally zealous of putting together this meal, my quest very often begins with browsing through numerous food-recipe sources and ends in my kitchen for the experiments that follow. The whole experience is a new challenge every time. A delicious, balanced and healthy meal is it's reward!

No eat-in or take-out experience can compete with the satisfaction and health benefits of cooking up your very own earthly concoctions :) With the launch of this little space, I hope to try out this very idea of putting together home-cooked meals and different recipes to delight hungry palates!

I won't promise I will always blog specifically about these experiences, but with time the blog will surely thrive with other earthly delights!

Cheers & Happy blogging!!